Giving Gifts

"You jest, old sir..."

Fang Yuan shook his head. "In a large family, with intertwined interests, there will always be those who are dissatisfied!"

"What the hermit says is truly a golden maxim!"

Zhou Tong was stunned. He hadn't expected Fang Yuan to be so worldly-wise, experienced, and open-minded. He didn't look like a youth at all.

"You must have sought me out for a reason other than this, old sir?"

Fang Yuan blew on the white steam from his teacup, staring at Zhou Tong with a half-smile on his face.

"To be frank!"

Seeing this, Zhou Tong had no intention of hiding anything. "This old man is preparing to return to Qingye City today."

"Oh? And why is that?"

Fang Yuan had a guess in his heart, but his face showed a hint of confusion.

"I received news this morning that a major case has occurred in Qingye City... Elder Song of our sect's beloved son, Song Yujie, along with an outer disciple procurement officer, were both murdered within the city. The perpetrator even set the residence ablaze in the end!"

"Hiss..."

Fang Yuan's expression was one of feigned surprise. "Such heinous evil, who could it be?"

"I don't know. In any case, Elder Song has lost his only son, and he's bound to go mad. The entire Qingye City will be shaken..."

Zhou Tong shook his head. Fang Yuan's acting was too good, and besides, he had no reason to suspect him. Therefore, he had no idea that the heinous perpetrator was sitting right in front of him.

However, Fang Yuan also saw a well-hidden glint of schadenfreude in his pupils. It seemed he and that Song fellow were indeed from opposing factions, and they were quite happy to see each other suffer misfortune.

"Since that is the case, I shall not keep you any longer, Old Master Zhou!"

Fang Yuan picked up his teacup and said with a smile.

"Not at all, not at all!"

Old Master Zhou's old face flushed with embarrassment. When someone was already ushering you out with tea, it was indeed unsightly to linger on stubbornly.

But he had no choice; he truly had something to ask of Fang Yuan.

He glanced around, and Zhou Tong gritted his teeth. He suddenly knelt down and bowed deeply. "Your life-saving grace is something I will never forget. However, I have a matter that requires me to trouble you, hermit. I implore you not to refuse!"

"If it is a request you cannot help but make, why speak of it further?"

Fang Yuan took a small sip of tea, almost causing Old Master Zhou to gasp for air and choke to death.

He finally understood that this hermit, who could miraculously heal people and possessed many divine abilities, was actually extremely indifferent.

But he had no choice but to seek his help now.

Song Zhong, who had lost his son, was a complete lunatic!

He feared that he would be implicated, or even killed, once he left!

Although he and Song Zhong were from the same sect and had previously belonged to different, opposing factions, they had never truly fallen out.

However, at this moment, he dared not measure Song Zhong with the thinking of a normal person.

Fang Yuan's reaction, though a bit extreme, was still within his expectations.

After all, Fang Yuan wasn't his father, nor had he received any life-saving favors from him. Why should he continue to help him?

Zhou Tong took a deep breath and finally revealed his trump card. "I heard that you are interested in martial arts? You previously exchanged a Red Ginseng for three martial arts manuals? What if I have something better?"

"Hmm?"

Hearing this, Fang Yuan's interest was piqued. He slightly supported his right hand. "Get up and speak!"

"Gah?"

Feeling the immense force that made him unable to control his own body and stand up, Zhou Tong's face showed a hint of surprise.

"This..."

He was a martial arts expert who had passed the fifth gate, Jingmen. Otherwise, he wouldn't have secured a position as an outer sect steward in the Gui Ling Sect. Even though he had just recovered from his illness, his martial arts were still formidable.

For the other party to make him stand up with just one hand, without any resistance, showed that he was not without martial arts skill.

"The stone from another mountain can be used to polish jade. I am indeed interested in some advanced martial arts!"

Fang Yuan did not deny it.

After all, to break through the Shangmen gate in the future, he would need more advanced martial arts and cultivation methods.

"However... if Old Master Zhou intends to give me the secret manuals of the Gui Ling Sect... then I must politely decline. Not everyone wants to provoke the Gui Ling Sect and then be hunted relentlessly!"

Fang Yuan smiled slightly, his expression somewhat playful.

"How could that be possible? If you gave me eight more courage, I wouldn't dare to harm myself and others like that!"

Zhou Tong quickly waved his hands and took out an ancient-looking thread-bound manual from his bosom. "This Iron Cloth Shirt is something I obtained by chance when I was young. It has absolutely no hidden dangers and can be combined with the Eagle Claw Skill to form the Eagle Claw Iron Cloth Shirt. Cold-faced Iron Eagle, Yu Qiuleng, a steward of our sect, excels at this technique and is renowned throughout the prefecture..."

"So that's how it is!"

Fang Yuan nodded, immediately recalling the martial artist who had accompanied Steward Lin when he had broken off the engagement.

He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now, recalling it carefully, he knew that the other party, regardless of his status or martial arts, was far superior to the Zhou Tong in front of him.

As for the Eagle Claw Skill? It's a martial art even more widespread than Black Sand Palm, with numerous branches.

For example, there's the Eagle Claw Iron Cloth Shirt, which primarily focuses on defense using Hard Qi Skill, or the greatly powerful Eagle Claw Skill that focuses on attack power and increasing strength, and even unconventional styles like Flame Claw Hand and Frost Eagle Claw... At this point, even the founder, if resurrected, would be utterly confused by the sheer number of branches.

'The Eagle Claw Iron Cloth Shirt, much like Hard Qi Skill, focuses on defense while incorporating Eagle Claw attacks. It can be considered a perfect blend of offense and defense!'

Fang Yuan was quite satisfied with this.

Although the Eagle Claw Iron Cloth Shirt seemed like a common technique, among the major sects, only inner disciples who passed an assessment were qualified to practice it.

Fang Yuan pondered for a moment, but he didn't rashly accept the manual. Instead, he glanced meaningfully at Zhou Tong, "A gift offered to someone always comes with a request. I wonder what you desire, Mr. Zhou?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of embarrassment flashed across Zhou Tong's face before quickly disappearing. "Young benefactor has a life-saving grace upon this old man. Let alone a mere manual, even if it meant climbing mountains of knives or plunging into seas of fire, I, Zhou, wouldn't bat an eye. However, the current situation outside is turbulent and unpredictable, so I can only shamelessly implore the young benefactor for one thing..."

He asked in a deep voice, "What do you think of my daughter, Wenxin?"

"Uh..."

Fang Yuan rolled his eyes, almost thinking this shameless old man was about to offer his daughter to him as a way to win him over.

"Very lively..."

He was speechless for a long time before finally managing to offer a single evaluation.

"That's good!"

Zhou Tong breathed a sigh of relief. "To be honest, my daughter is rather unruly, and I truly find her difficult to manage. How about you take my daughter as your disciple?"

"Absolutely not!"

Fang Yuan immediately shook his head. "How could I possibly be worthy of being your daughter's master? Please find someone else."

He didn't want to be saddled with trouble. At the same time, he deeply admired Zhou Tong's thick skin for even bringing up such a matter; it was truly incredible.

After all, he might even be a little older than Zhou Wenxin.

"Won't you consider it?"

Zhou Tong looked somewhat disappointed.

Allowing his daughter to become Fang Yuan's disciple was the result of a night of deep thought and a sudden inspiration.

It was a plan to kill several birds with one stone. First, it could win over Fang Yuan, this mysterious 'expert.' Second, at the very least, it would ensure his daughter's protection. Furthermore, regardless of Fang Yuan's martial arts prowess or his mastery of other skills, as long as his daughter learned at least half of his medical skills, she would have a way to support herself in the future.

However, despite all his calculations, he never anticipated that his daughter and the benefactor before him already had a prior connection.

"I have never had any intention of taking on a disciple. Please retract your request, sir!"

Fang Yuan pushed the manual away.

He didn't want to bring that unruly young lady to his side and create trouble. Although that girl, after dressing up, seemed quite good-looking, and with his master's orders, a disciple had to obey, training her might be quite... ahem... I'm thinking impure thoughts...

"Alas, it seems my daughter is not fated for this! Please, do not refuse this manual, otherwise, I will truly be ashamed beyond words..."

Zhou Tong sighed deeply.

"In that case, thank you..."

Fang Yuan was genuinely interested in the manual. Moreover, he had just saved the man's life, so accepting compensation felt right. Since Zhou Tong insisted, he would accept it.

However, he never imagined that this old man's integrity had sunk to such a horrifying low!

As soon as Fang Yuan accepted the manual, Zhou Tong's face lit up with a smile. He glanced around, "Benefactor is indeed poor and lives in seclusion in the mountains, without anyone to serve you. I shall take the liberty of arranging a maidservant for you, to help with sweeping and cleaning!"

"There's no need, is there?"

Fang Yuan refused. He had too many secrets. Keeping someone close within the Secluded Valley would only hasten their exposure.

At least, until he possessed the power to protect these secrets, he needed to maintain confidentiality.

"It's decided!"

Unexpectedly, Zhou Tong waved his hand. "This is also your Uncle Lin's wish. Don't worry, I've already given that maidservant a good scolding once. It doesn't matter if you beat or scold her!"

As if fearing Fang Yuan would refuse again, he immediately got up and left, heading outside the Secluded Valley.

Only then did Fang Yuan notice that the large group of people waiting outside were already packing up their camp, looking ready to depart at any moment.

"I bid you farewell!"

Zhou Tong bowed solemnly and waved his hand. The large group of Zhou family members immediately followed him away.

"Alas... Nephew..."

Lin Benchu, walking at the very end, looked at Fang Yuan with a hint of regret in his eyes. "Originally, besides Lei Yue, I had a few other daughters... What a pity, what a pity... Alas, alas..."

"What's going on?"

Fang Yuan was completely bewildered. He then noticed that behind the departing caravan, a frail figure had indeed been left behind.

"Miss Zhou?"

He looked over and saw Zhou Wenxin's eyes were red, like walnuts, as if she had just cried her eyes out. Her face was filled with a wronged expression.

"What's wrong?"

Zhou Wenxin looked on the verge of tears. She bowed to Fang Yuan, "I... I greet you, young master!"

"Damn it!"

Fang Yuan's eyes widened. He gained a new understanding of Zhou Tong's integrity and realized why Steward Lin had that strange expression before leaving.

It turned out that since Zhou Tong couldn't get his daughter accepted as a disciple, he had shamelessly, and without any regard, placed Zhou Wenxin by his side under the guise of a maidservant!

"This is madness!"

Looking at the wronged Miss Zhou beside him, Fang Yuan's head instantly felt as big as a bucket.